HEAT PIPE COOLING OF FARADAY SHIELDS

AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF A FUSION REACTOR IS THE FARADAY SHIELD OF THE RADIO FREQUENCY (RF) ANTENNAE USED FOR COUPLING POWER INTO THE CONFINED PLASMA. THESE ANTENNAE CURRENTLY USE DIRECT WATER COOLING TO ABSORB THERMAL ENERGY FROM PLASMA IMPINGEMENT AND INDUCTION HEATING OF THE COOLANTTUBES. IN THE CURRENT DESIGN, IF A SINGLE COOLANT TUBE FAILS, IT CAUSES TOTAL FARADAY SHIELD FAILURE AND FLOODING OF THE PLASMA CHAMBER. HEAT PIPES ARE PASSIVE COOLING DEVICES OFFERING POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCING WATER DAMAGE IN THE EVENT OF A COOLING SYSTEM PRESSURE BOUNDARY FAILURE. HEAT PIPES REDUCE THE REQUIRED COOLANT FLOW VIA INCREASED SURFACE AREA AND PERMIT THE ACTIVE COOLING SYSTEM TO BE LOCATED OUTSIDE THE TOKAMAK CHAMBER. ALTHOUGH THE HEAT PIPES REMAIN WITHIN THE CHAMBER, THE FAILURE OF ANY SINGLE HEAT PIPE WILL LEAD TO THE RELEASE OF ONLY A MINUSCULE QUANTITY OF FLUID. DURING THIS PROJECT DESIGNS WILL BE DEVELOPED FOR A HEAT-PIPE-COOLED FARADAY SHIELD. A SERIES OF PROOF-OF-CONCEPT DEMONSTRATIONS WILL BE CONDUCTED TO VERIFY THE TECHNOLOGY BASE. THIS WILL PROVIDE THE BASIS NECESSARY FOR FABRICATING A PROTOTYPE SHIELD IN PHASE II.